“A great sporting day in the city... all for the price of a bus ticket.”
“We begin by a weir, lured by stories of a big perch.”
AS much as most of us enjoy peace and quiet in our fishing, these days I’m increasingly drawn towards town and city waters. For one thing, they’re where most of us live and can reach for a quick hour or two. And in spite of all the human traffic, there is always hidden potential if you’re prepared to explore a little.
I’ve enjoyed street fishing everywhere from Glasgow to Amsterdam in the last few years, but Norwich is up there with the best of destinations for the blend of culture and fishing. With just a lure rod, a few bits and a bus ticket, you can be hopping different spots in no time. If the fishing slows down or you want a break, it’s also rammed with pubs, local history and curious characters!
It helps to have a friend who knows the place, of course, which is where my mate, Jim Sutherland, comes in. After meeting up, we headed for the market to take in an early breakfast, before going out to search some perch spots on a cold, clearing river.
Mobility and adaptability are key for this approach. We begin by a weir, lured by local stories of big perch, but only catch one or two tiny ‘wasps’. It’s a case of hopping between spots and switching lures.
Jim loves an old school spinner on the river, but today it seems that with the cold conditions, a jigging approach is best. So many of the spots in the city are perfect for this or a dropshot presentation.
You imagine a perch beneath every bush, bend and platform on the river, but in the late winter the fish can be really clustered up. In fact, as much as any obvious features, it’s the hordes of little silverfish that often provide the best clue.
After a few blank spots, we find loads of little roach and a tempting slack. The very first cast here and the rod bends sweetly. The next four casts all result in the same thing, a small perch each time punching well on an ultralight lure rod.
The first pint of the day tastes even better as we slope into one of the city’s many bars to sink an IPA. This is another huge benefit of city fishing – there’s always shelter from the cold and a stack of pubs, bars and eateries.
We search over a mile of river, not to mention several watering holes before the day is out, and the same pattern continues with the fishing. Ninety percent of our fish come from just two spots. No monsters come our way today, although several chunky perch need the net, while Jim has a brief argument with a pike. A great sporting day out in the city, all for the price of a bus ticket.